United Airlines has reported significant disruptions for its passengers at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey due to a shortage in Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control staffing. The airline stated that over 343,000 travelers this month experienced delays, cancellations, long taxi times, and extended flight durations at Newark, attributing these issues to the FAA's understaffing.
On November 15, nearly 2,000 United customers were impacted by flight cancellations, with almost 25,000 facing gate delays, taxi delays, or air delays on the same day. Additionally, on a single Saturday, around 46,000 customers encountered similar delays, according to United.
United emphasized the importance of fully staffing the FAA to enhance the flying experience. The airline noted that flights arrived an average of five minutes early in November on normal days but were delayed by 25 minutes on days with staffing challenges.
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker acknowledged that staffing issues in the Newark airspace could lead to reduced air traffic flow during the holiday travel season. In response, the FAA stated that hiring more air traffic controllers is a top priority and that they are actively addressing the long-standing staffing problem in the Newark airspace, sharing their plan with airlines and travelers.
